If you sign up when you're 17, you'll be in the D.E.P. for awhile, which counts towards your 8-yr total contract...

Really? This is news to me.

The only thing that might count for is what they call "inactive reserve". In other words, a typical 6 year stint includes 2 year inactive reserve, where you carry an ID card but you do not drill, deploy, or get paid.

The only thing that might count for is what they call "inactive reserve". In other words, a typical 6 year stint includes 2 year inactive reserve, where you carry an ID card but you do not drill, deploy, or get paid.

I'm not really qualified to speak too much on this matter, seeing as how I've never been involved in any branch of the U.S. Military, but I'm curious... how interested are you in pursuing videography (compared to your other two picks)?

What Gaz said is very, very true. No job will guarantee you no rounds coming at you. Motor-T is probably more dangerous than being a grunt at times...

I had a hard time making ends meet when I got out. I went from bouncing, working at a sand pit to being a self-employed PI/process server until I got my degree. I'd work 80+ hours a week and still carry 3/4 load of an engineering curriculum at school. Talk about burn out.

This is another point:

While you're in GO TO SCHOOL!!!!! There is absolutely no reason that anyone serving 4 or more yrs now can't come out with a degree. I don't know about the Marines but in the Army its FREE!!! Tuition Assistance is 100%!!!! It blows my mind on how many pple get out with out a degree. Its something that can't be taken away from you and even if you don't go into that exact field it says something positive about you to potential employers.

What Gaz said is very, very true. No job will guarantee you no rounds coming at you.

Unless you join the Air Force. Not always, but most of the time.

Though you haven't specifically stated your reasons, reading your posts gives me the feeling that the Air Force might suit you better for your goals (you want to do martial arts and you want a job that is actually valuable in the civilian sector, low risk of getting killed) than the marines...

But it also seems like you might have other reasons for wanting the marines specifically. I don't know. But a large portion of the Marines that I've met wished they joined the Air Force.

I was guaranteed a MOS in my contract. I think they'll do the contract and if you **** up, they send you to be a cook or a grunt. Don't **** up. Grunts aren't so bad. I kind of wish I'd have gone that route, but don't EVER **** up and get mess duty.

The recruiters are not going to tell you everything you need to know. You should probably strike out on your own and research what it is you hope to obtain from the Corps because the Corps is going to get theirs from you once you're in.

First, get your MOS. They can do it, so don't let them tell you otherwise. They're going to look at boat space for the MOS. If they don't have space allotted for your MEPS station, they can trade off with other stations.

B, I'd focus on your GI Bill options. I've heard the Army has some incentive programs. I don't know if the Corps does that or not. I know they had two versions of the GI Bill, but they only tout the lower version. At least that's what they did for me.

Moosey - BEWARE the recruiter bull ****. This is especially true in the USMC.

I speak from experience here and many other previous posters have given you this same advice.

There is a war going on and it is not conventional. There are no front lines drawn.

While it is honorable to serve your country (I would not trade the experience), do not sign up with the preconceived notion that you will become an instructor in any area. Instructors learn on the job their specialty, no matter what area of endeaver it may be.

If you do enlist - get an education out of the deal. The GI Bill of Rights is much better than in the past. Air wing is an area with some of the better job skills that you can use in civilian life.

Navy and Air Force have the best selection of high tech, and Navy has all medical/dental for the USMC.